Vehicle-wheel.



G. R. WILLIAMS.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

PPLIOATION FILED SEPT. l1, 1907.

Y 'Patented May 11, 1909 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

G. R. WILLAMS.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION ULEB SEPT.11,1907.

Patented. May 11, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Vstiintiiilly T-slniiwd oinhizicing :i troiid soction ill), :ind zin nifirnnfr or"iiiioiixV .GEORGE RAINEY WILLAMS, OF'LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

VEHICLE-EVHIEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent. l

Patented May ll, 1991 Application filed September 11, 1907. Serial No. 892,312.

T o all wio/i 'it may concern.'

Be it known tlnit 1, (.ricoiimz liAiNi-n' WiL- LmMs, a citizen ol' tho lnitcd States, and :i I'csidcnt of liitilc liocii, in ihc county ol Puliiski :ind St-iitc ol Arliniiszis, have iiivcntod o new :ind uscl'ul ltniirovc vont in -Vehicle- Whceis, ol' which thc following' is :i l'iill cloni', :ind cmu-t description.

Tho nrposv oll thc invention is to provido :i whocll l'foi' cni'i'ingos,-ziiiio volvi-lcs' null hlnx vehicles7 thiii will poss-oss within iiscll' suhstnntial, ell'i'iivc. und olii'ioni, i'csilieni'c without dctrzn'iing l'ro'i iis supporting' qualities, :ind io provido :i si nilo, duriihlo7 Azuid' economic construction whercin :i rcsilicnt tii'c is co'iihinid with co iipciisiiiinj; spokcs.

iioi'hoi' purposo ol' tho invention is to provide :i whccl with :i ccnii'iilli loc-:Lind coin` hi'ico iliail will iijii'o tho spokes zi. lziiii'nl siiiporl. on thc dish oi tho wheel rind which hrzico ioziy ho iiiilimd :is :i hi'iiliinig snrhico.

Tlioinvoniion cons-isis in thc norcl construction :ind coo-hiniiiion ol' Ythe sivorz'il pzii'ts :is will ho lnii'oiinil'oi' hilly sotl'orili rind pointed ont in .hii'lzii ras.

liolorcncc is io lic had to iho in'ci'iiiipainy` lfii'ki is cons-li'in'lod, :is is shown in thc draw.m ings', whorcin it non:- :s'is ol' :i soi'iis ol' ,soli-- niooilicrs, cach inc'nhcr wzii'dly extending; controlli' lociitod- :fliiinl: section 11. Tho ti'ciid sictioiis 1() ol tho tiro nic-nihcrs A nrc piroizilly coiinccicd hy holts 12 in ziny iguihihlo or ziiliiirovcdnniiiinr, :ind thc pivotiil connoclion is so sind@ tliiit thc tro-:id sin'lfii'fis ol' Lho iirciid sci-.tions 1U will holsinoolh :ind contini-ions, in this ,ininnci' :i (',i'i'cnhn' continuonsr .viildiniij lirvy is prodiic'od.

l'ii minori-ion with oiirh ol' tho lii'o nimh hors/X n. czip ond l), :idziplii'd 1.o hc ,'vzii'i'iiil nl, tho outer finds ol' tho kipokos l, is produced,

:ind cach cap end b is provided with n roducod outer end member 14 that entiers o. suitiihlo ciivity in the shank section of a tiro inc nhcr A, sis is shown in Fig. 1, :ind boits l5 nrov passed through the reduced portions 14 of the sziid cap' iiie'iiber's and through the sha-nhr sections ol' the tire inenibers, pivot- :il-ly coni'iectirig siichpm'ts. The cop monihcrs b have fuii hearing against the under hiccs ol' thc shrink sections 11 of the tire 'ne :ihm-s A, :nid zit thc inner ond portions ol' l'ho sind ciip .ne whois l), intci'ioi'ly threaded .sockets 16 :irc prodnccd, and those sockets rci'civc thi` ihrciidd outci' ends 17 of tho spolrcs B, :ind `:ich thi'ciided portion 17 oi' the spoke Curries :i n'iit 1S thiit'is screwed np lo :in cngiigc mit with tho inner cnd o' the nip won-hoi', into which thcv spoke muy he introdiiccd.' Euch spoke is construs'tod of spring rod -i-ihil and is ol' iiiigiihir iorinfitioi'i,

ooiisisiiiig; oi' :i sii-night supporting nienihorv 111i that is inli'odnrfcd into o cop ond b and :i i'ciirw'xirdl)v ex'ionding horizontal inoinhci 2O ihn-'i tcrnnniitos rit 11s reni' ond in an 1nwairdl)T oxivinling hond 21, is is clearly The horizontal -nioinhcrs shown in Fig'. 1. il ol rho spokes B :iro spring ino mid soi'i'o to @niko thi` wheel in its entirety L pci'- i'ei'ih' rosiliont whocl, whilc tlics'ti'ziii(hty ouiwni'dl)r oxiondiiigr ano :ihcrs 19 oli'cctuzilljyf support tho tiro ol' the Whici.

rl'ho huh ol ilii whcol is constructed in the lfolioi'ving niiinnor: ringf 23, .vhii'ih Inn); ho' ici'nicd .n huh ring', is provided :it its poi'iphcr)n with rociisscs 22, in whichroccssostho |'(\;ii' (iiiil piiiliiiiiS (il.` 1li@- Spring iltvliilJQYS 2() ol' lii` siiokos ii :irc rc 'ci\'od, and :i binding,y ring 24 is thon l'oi'i'id ovcr iho huh ringy 2." lo :i locking ong'iigcnicnl with tho cnds of the spolws roi'oivod h v ihrv sind huh ring, as ln connection with tho hiih ring 23 n huh propenis providcd; ihis huh is in two sections, the outoi'-sociion consisting oi' a dishcd nicnihsi' 25 having o ihing'o 3] engaging tho outer f iioe of thc huh ring' 23, the concave surface of the said nicniher facing' foriwii'dly, Orin the direction of the ontci' hice oi" the wheel proper; thcothoi' soction of' tho huh consists oi" tho (lished nicni hin' 2S, which is dishod in o reverse direction to ihiioi tho nioinhor 25 and has on sininihii' 'llaing'o 2o which cng'zigcs with thc inner frio@ ol' tho huh ring 22% :ind is providvd with o. foi'-- wnrdly cxiinding nini'ginul incinlicr T37 than is locaiod o pposi'io tho liiiidiiigV rinv 121|, ns is also shown in. Figs. 1 und Ii. The' inner dished member 28 is provided with an out- The distributing disv (l may be held in 'mgs.' The ilanges 26 and 31 .are secured to -elastic orl yielding material, is located, and

Wardly extending tubular extension 29, and this'extension 29 carries at its outer end a box 30 which may be removable, and the said box is usually provided with ball bearthe hub ring23 by means of suitable bolts 32, and in this manner the sections of the hub are held together, and likewise the binding ring is prevented fromslipping from the hub ring. The spindle 33 of the axle is received'within the said hub assing through suitable openings in the diished members thereof, and the outer end ortion of'the received spindle is engaged y the aforesaid ball bearings, which may be dispensed with if desired, and a suitable nut '34 is'located at the outer end of the spindle, as is also -shown in Fig. 1.

The spring members 20 of the series of spokes B practically constitute a spring cage, Within which cage adjacent the outer face of the. Wheel proper, or adjacent where the members 19 and 20 connect, a distributing disk C is located, of lesser diameter than the diameter of the said cage, This disk (lis provided with a peripheral groove 35, and in this groove 35, a ring 3G of rubber or other this yielding or elasticA ring 36 forcibly engages Awith the inner faces .of the spring Il members 20 of the spokes, as is shown in Figs. l 1 and 2. This distributing disk and its accompanying elastic or kyielding ring, constitute a yielding bearing for the spring seel tions or members of' the spokes, and the said bearings serve to transmit the force or weight f past one spoke to other spokes, whereby the excess of weight or force applied to one resilient spring member 2() of a spokeis transferred, andV the force is automatically distributed proportionately to the resistance. It may be herestated that the tire has a rel siliency corresponding to the resiliency of the spring members of the s okes. i

positionin any suitable orlalnnovlnl manner, usually, however, it is provided with a cenl tral opening 37 into which opening the rear curved ends of spring arms 38 are sprung, having a clamping engagement with the wall V,

. of the said opening 37, andthe outer ends ol" witlrsuitable nuts and washers.

these-spring arms 38 are held between two clamping disks 39 and 4() by means ol' a suitthrough` the central portion of an outer convexed brace disk 4-2, the bolt passing through the center' of the disk and being provided 'lhe outer brace disk 42 at its marginal portion is made to stand near but not against the outer face of the supporting members 19 of the spoke B, andin connection with this outer cone vexed disk brace 42, l employ a cone brace l I l i l l) that is located at the rear ofthe wheel, and l spokes B, and-the two braces are held together but not clam ed against the spokes,

by means of suitable olts 43. f

The reduced or rear end of the cone brace D is made. to it over the binding ring 24', as is shown in Fig. 1, and the rear end portion 'of the said cone brace is provided with an inwardly extending flange 4 4 that engages the rear face of the binding ring 24 and is engaged by the forwardly extending marginal member 27 of the rear ring ilange2. This conebraceis exceedingly eilective since it gives the spokes a lateral support on the dish of'I the wheel. rlhef-cone brace D is likewise serviceable in another direction, since' the strap brake E may be made to' engage with its outer lace and in this `manner the cone brace oi'l`ers'a bearing surfaf/e for a any suitable lescription.

Having thus described lily/invention, L

A.claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 1. In a vehicle wheel, a yielding tire, a hub, angular spokes constructed of spring material, one member of'each spoke being radially disposed and connected with the tire, vand the other member being horizon- .s

tally disposed and connected with the hub, an outer brace disk and an inner cone brace secured to the huband brace disk.

2. In vehicle wheels, a yielding tire, a hub to the rear of the body ol" the wheel and a series of angular spokes constructed of spring material 4and constituting the body of the wheel, one member of each'spoke being radially disposed and secured to the tire, the other member being parallel with the axis of the Wheel and secured to the hub, inner and outer' braces, the inner one being secured to the hub, and a' yielding support for the members of the spokes extending parallel with the s axis, said support beingA located Within the group of said members and carried by the outer brace. v v

ifi.k ln a vehicle Wheel, a yielding tire, a hub to the rear of the face of the Wheel, substantially L-shaped spokes oi" spring material, each spoke comprising a radial member connecledwih the tire, andahorizontal member connected with the hub, a yielding support in engagement with allv of the horizontal members at apoint between their ends, and a cone brace extending from the radial members of thespokes at the rear face of the wheel and secured to the said hub, which cone brace surrounds the horizontal members of the spokes.

' 4. ln' a vehicle wheel, a yielding tire, a hub to the rear of the face of the Wheel, substantiallyL-shaped spokes of spring material, each spoke cemprlsing a radial member connected with the tire, and a horizontal membrake oll ire emacs ber connected With the hub, a yielding support m engagement with all of the horizontal members ata )oint between their ends, a

cone brace-at t ie rear face of the wheel and secured to the said hub, which cone brace surrounds the horizontal members of the member in position.

5. in a vehicle wheel, a hub havin@ a ring at its inner end, said ring having a plurality ol" peripheral recesses, angular spokes having their horizontal members in the recesses ol said rimr a biinling ring on the iirst named ring', a cone brace securedover the bindingring and extending to the radial members of the s okes, and a yielding tire to which theV racha .members oi the spokes are pivoted.

6. In a vehicle Wheel, a hub ,hat ing spaced flanges at its inner end, the inner flange haw ing an outwardly extending marginai'lnember, a ring held between the flanges and having peripheral recesses, angular spokes having their horizontal members in the said recesses, a binding ring on the i'irst named ring, a cone brace having an inwardly extending flange at its inner end and litting upon the binding ring', said cone brace extending to the radial members of the' spokes, and a yielding tire to which the radial members of the spokes are pivoted.'

spokes having their horizontal members secured to the hub1 a yieldingtire to which the x. ln a vehicle Wheel, a hub, angular to the radial members ofthe spokes, a disk brace secured to the cone brace, an apertured disk carrying yielding material in its periphery, Vand spring arms carried by the brace' disk and engaging the aperture of the said disk.

8. Ina vehicle Wheel, a hub, an outer disk brace, an inner cone brace-secured to the hub and to thev disk brace,angular spokes having their horizontal members secured to the hub and their radial members extending loosely between the braces at the points of connecs tion, a' yielding tire to Which the radial members of the spokes are secured, `a ring of yielding material in engagement with the horizontal members of the spokes, andv means for supporting said ring from the outer brace.

9. ln a vehicle Wheel, a hub, an outer disk brace, an inner cone brace secured to the hub and to the disk brace,angular spokes having their horizontal members secured to the hub and their radial members extending loosely between the said braces at their oints of connection, a yielding tire to Whicll the ra- In testimony whereof I 'hare signed my' name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses,

esoneri samer WiLLlAMs.

Vl/itnesses l FsANK WITTENBERG A. H. Comms dial members of the s okes are secured, a o 

